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MEMBER DIARY

California

What is up with California? Arguably the most liberal state in union, especially if you only consider the coastal areas, has made two significant conservative statements this past week. Last week California voters rejected a plan to increase their taxes to overcome their 25 billion short fall in their state budget. Californians not only rejected all of the state government referendums, but did it handily by a two to one margin. Voters nixed pay raises for government officials and basically said no to more wasteful spending. This came only a month after Tea Party protestors were condemned as being “crazy extremist” who do not want to pay their share in taxes. Hopefully, Obama and his administration are taken notice that liberal citizens are also tired of government spending, waste, and high taxes.

Last year California’s Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal and nearly 20,000 Californians took advantage of this and got married. The gay marriage initiative was put up for a state vote last November and it was called Proposition 8. Proposition 8 and gay marriage was defeated by the people of California by a close 52% to 48% margin. This outraged the gay community and they have been working since November to have this vote overturned. The anger in the gay community was unfortunately illustrated when they lambasted and ridiculed Miss California, Carrie Prejean, for her view on marriage. Gay marriage proponents were successful in getting the issue back in front of the California Supreme Court. However, the court ruled yesterday to uphold the voice of the people. The court did say the state will continue to recognize all of those gay couples that did get married last year. Needless to say, this ruling by the court was the right view. It would be despicable if the court overruled and silenced the voice of the people. I have always been a proponent of having all moral issues such as gay marriage being decided on the state level by their residents. I have always been against the federal government, state governments, and the courts deciding these issues. Having the people decide is the only way to truly compromise on moral issues. At least this way every person has a say in the matter. I certainly do not understand or condone gay behavior, but I believe in treating others the way I expect to be treated. Thus, I could see myself supporting gay marriage if and if they protested in a respectful manner. The gay community may be its worse enemy as they constantly make villains out of those with opposing views and protest in offensive manner. If they treated others with respect, I could do the same.

Other News:

North Korea is really escalating matters and this will really test Obama. They have fired more missiles and have threatened South Korea. Obama’s strategy is to push Russia and China into harder sanctions on North Korea. This is what Bush, Powell, and Rice had tried with little luck. Now, Obama, who has lambasted the Bush administration for how they handled Iran and North Korea is adapting a policy that Bush tried, but it did not succeed. At least Obama seems to have given up on his policy to sit down with these rogue nations without preconditions. That is straight out of the Jimmy Carter administration’s failed foreign policy. To surmise, Obama has given up on his “talk” foreign policy and is planning on using Bush’s failed policy that he condemned. To Bush’s credit, North Korea would not have been escalating and provoking the world as fast with him in charge. They know Bush is capable of using military action. North Korea is no question testing to see what Obama is made of and if they can manipulate and push him around. Obama has already cutting back in missile defense, which is a sign of weakness. I believe it will take a nation like Israel to solve this problem. Israel knows there have been links between North Korea and Iran. They know Iran is capable of buying weaponry from North Korea.

Roland Burris – I have not heard or read the transcript of a wire tapped conversation between Burris and Blagojevich’s brother, but it sounds like Burris may have lied. Apparently there may have been a quid pro quo conversation for the Senate seat. This may be good news for Republicans. If Burris did in fact lie and is ousted, it would give Republicans a chance to win the Senate seat and hold the Democrats under 60 votes. Although I am not completely optimistic a Republican can win in Illinois. Despite Illinois’s rampant corruption, the people seem brainwashed into electing Democrats.